Halifax Clarity Reward Credit Card

I took this card out for a round the world trip. First stop and the card got declined in the first 2 cash points. Spent the day seeking out ATMs to try.

This continued on and off for next 3 months.

Horrible feeling being stranded abroad unable to get cash out. Ended up having to use debit cards and being charged a fortune, not to mention the calls to Halifax to try and get it sorted.

Avoid at all costs, yes it has very good rates, but it's a bit irrelevant when you can't use it in all cash points!

The credit card is HIGHLY unreliable, because Halifax puts random fraud prevention checks into place. As I have been told, they are not foreseeable, as otherwise they can be circumvented. So the credit card may or may not work ... with awkward consequences.

My story: Arrived at Austin Airport 6 days ago and tried to withdraw 300 $. The money was not paid out, yet, as it turned out, I was billed. I could withdraw 200$ afterwards without problem. Called Bank of America (EE charges 1£/min roaming) who told me I had to phone Halifax. Halifax will send a claim form, which takes ANOTHER 7 days to arrive, whilst Halifax charges cash advance fees!

Today, I tried to make a bigger purchase (> 300 $). Card declined. Shop assistant tried couple of times, even with paying partly in cash to reduce the amount: declined! People were looking; I left the shop to phone up Halifax (battery low, because I used my phone all day, and needed it to find my way home. Very uncomfortable feeling) ... finally  transferred to the right department: Fraud detection. Be prepared! You need a pen for the case reference number or you have to give all details again. Had to answer questions like 'How long have you had the credit card for?' 'How many accounts do you have with Halifax?' 'Approximate balance?'. If you don't have online banking at hand it is difficult to tell at the end of a month when all the bills go out!

Finally security clearance, block lifted. Went back to the shop, apologised for the hassle, reassured that things are straightened out now and tried to pay again: Declined! Shop assistant tried combined cash/credit payment: Declined. The shop assistant had to return the good to its place. I apologised again and promised to come out tomorrow (takes only 30min one way) with ALL my cards to make sure that at least one works. I felt humiliated to the bone.

I phoned up Halifax again... same procedure. This time I was asked to name a street in 1km radius from my home address, different from where I live. Not easy for me, as I was fuming and don't really pay attention to that (SatNav). Explanation this time: Another security level had kicked in and was imposing a second block!

There may be more blocks, I don't know. It can not be managed from the Halifax app, so even internet access doesn't help you. You need to phone up (I was in total 20min on the phone to Halifax today!)

If I had had another card with me, I would have paid with it... which begs the question: What's the point of Halifax Clarity? The frustration and the phone charges do not make up even for 3% foreign payment charges.

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Wrap up: To use the Halifax card, you need another card or

- a phone with low roaming charges

- a pen or else you stay longer in the line.

- be prepared to answer a Jeopardy quizz of questions.

It is not guaranteed that you can pay, after that.

I travel a lot due to work and this card has to be the best card I have come across and in a short while has saved me so much money!.

It's 0% international fees and 0% cash withdrawal fees. Meaning you get intra-bank (the rate you see on xe.com etc) money. Which about 5% more than the best places you will get online. It truly is a great card. Just make sure you pay off the balance so the interest does not cancel out the savings. Saying that it would take about 6 months worth of interest to do that.

Also customers are protected by Section 75 of the consumer credit act for purchases abroad and has come in handy on more than 1 occasion.

There support generally speaking is good. Does not take long to get through and are usually very swift in dealing with questions I may have. They are truly the best credit card on the market for international payments. Be it buying stuff into the UK or being abroad.

They also have 24/7 customer support which is handy when your at the other end of the world when a transaction gets declined.

Been a satisfied customer for over 3 years.

Overall 5/5. Highly Recommend!

Norman.

I applied for the card and mistakenly keyed an incorrect date of birth. Trying to get Halifax to put that right is impossible. OK so I hold my hand up, my mistake BUT firstly they will not amend over the phone. Having worked for Halifax for over 20 years I could tell them a million things to verify myself but no I have to go into a branch. So I make a 20 mile trip into the branch, take my driving licence, which was photocopied and I was told the DOB would be corrected in 2-3 days. Seven days later still not correct so I phone and after a 25 minute conversation I am told I need to go into the branch again. Unbelievable!! I have been once and now I am to be inconvenienced again at my expense as they have failed to do what they said they would do.

Why can they not take a common sense approach, verify me and change it over the telephone? In my days as a Manager there, that is what I would have done.

Not only that when I received the card it was impossible and I mean impossible to sign the back. I tried every sort of pen and nothing would get a signature on that shiny strip. Had to request a new card.

So, in my two weeks since I applied, I have now made 6 phone calls and also visited the branch one and now have to visit yet again. Not impressed at all. Now I know why I left Halifax all those years ago!!

great card for using abroad (I keep this credit solely for this purpose). But, Halifax want you to call them every time you use it in a different destination. Each time I call them I spend at least 30 minutes waiting to talk to someone on an 0845 tarrif. Awful customer support.

I applied online four weeks ago and received an email confirming my application. I then went immediately to the local Halifax for proof of my ID. I was assured that I whould receive my card within two weeks but have neither received a reply nor a card after almost four weeks. Poor service.

This card is administered by the same company that does the Aqua card. based in Edinburgh. We have cards from both and the problems are with the Online service. It has proved impossible so far to get to check statements and balances Online though numerous phone calls have been made and promises to sort the problem have been made and not kept. It is only possible to contact them by phone and each time there is a lengthy procedure to go through. We are not going to use these cards except for foreign travel.

Opened a Clarity account to replace my Nationwide debit card as the must-have card for foreign travel. The exchange rate on each transaction is in line with the day's market rate e.g. 1.21 for the euro when my friends were getting 1.17 or so. I pay in promptly or ahead of any cash withdrawals to minimise interest charges but leave purchases to run the full term until my DD pays off the balance in full. I've never not paid in full so I can't comment on this. Statements are clear as a bell and I know exactly where I stand. I just wish Clarity standards applied more widely in the financial sector.

I have just applied for this credit card online, and found it actually really easy to do. The great thing is you get your answer straight away, if you have been accepted or declined.

I'm currently waiting to receive my card. The only reason I applied for this card was the 0% commission when you go abroad. I tend to use my normal credit card abroad, which I know is a big no no, but sometimes it just can't be helped. At least when I do this with this card, I won't be charged for it. Guess receiving an extra £5 every time I spend £300 in a month is a bonus.

I have just applied for ans received this card after my other Halifax credit card went up to a staggering 27%APR. I have been with the Halifax for 30 years, banking, investing and paid mortgage, so own my home outright, so I am not a high risk customer I was not able to transfer the balance over but it still works out to be a better option financially. I have closed my other card and am paying off the balance and use the Clarity card when I have to. The thing that clinched it for me was no overseas charges and the cash back. The credit limit is a lot less, but that isn't a bad thing. If you haven't got the credit, you can't be tempted to spend it.